Gingerbread Love
by TwiAddictAnne
Summary: Sometimes, love can happen from consuming the gingerbread made by a hopeful maiden, but when the time is right, love can grow even without the help of gingerbread. However a little gingerbread never hurts, right? Rated for language and adult themes
1. Chapter-1: EPOV

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. Twilight or its characters do not belong to me. But the plot and this story are properties of Anne Publishing House.**

 **A/N: Hello, my lovelies. I'm sorry for being MIA for such a long time. I had a lot of RL issues to sort through. Thankfully, I'm back, and plan of staying on Ficsville for the foreseeable future. I'm coming to you with not only a long-ass A/N but also a Christmas fic. It's a present from me to all my readers. Let's start our 13 days of Christmas celebration, shall we?**

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 **Chapter-1: EPOV**

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 _June, 15, 2017_

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Stepping out of the airport, I take in a deep breath.

The air smells clean; it smells like rain and green and a little musty from the damp clothes from the crowd around me, but most importantly—it doesn't smell of dust, sweat, smoke and gunpowder.

I feel a smile stretch on my lips as the thought hits me.

 _I'm safe._

For the next six months, I won't have to worry about being shot at, or captured or exploded into unrecognizable pieces. For these months, I won't have to worry about keeping all the men in my platoon safe. No, all I have to worry about is babysitting my little niece in between training new recruits at the nearest base.

Walking a few blocks from the airport, I catch the bus that will take me to the only family I have left—Rose.

The first thing that hits me as I enter my sister's house is the smell of pie baking in the oven. The second is a brunette beauty lounging on the couch.

Before I can take another step inside, the woman pipes up from her seat, "Stop sniffing so hard. Half the taste is in the smell." And then she turns her head toward the hallway and hollers, "Rose, there's some soldier dude here, sniffing up a storm!"

That's when the third thing hits me … which happens to be my sister.

"Oof! Rose, let me breath," I pretend to be winded out by the force she collided into me, all the while hugging her tight.

Rose offers me one of those _I might be younger in age, but I'm wiser than you_ looks and slaps my arm.

"Ouch! Seriously, baby sis, this is how you great me after a year?"

She glowers at me. "Why didn't you tell me you're coming today? Em took tomorrow off because he wants to go pick you up from the airport."

I grin without an ounce of repentance. "Now he can help me enjoy the sights of our lovely homeland on his day off. It's a great alternative."

She grumbles under her breath before coming to me for one more hug. I hug her back just as tightly. With both our parents passing away just after Rose had graduated from high school, each other was all we had left. Of course I stuck around until Rose was married to my best friend, Emmett, but after that, U.S. Army was everything I know.

"I missed you," Rose whispers to me, her voice sounding wobbly.

"I missed you too, baby sis," I say, trying to not let my emotions get the best of me. I was home for only six months, I wasn't gonna waste it by shedding tears.

Rose moves out of my arms after pinching my cheek like I'm a little kid. "I'm not your baby sis anymore, Popeye."

I wave her off. "Whatever, Rugrat. You're still a baby to me."

As she pokes her tongue out at me, my eyes meet the chocolate brown ones dancing with amusement at our exchange.

Just as Rose is heading back to the kitchen, she says to her, "Bell, in case you didn't get it by now, that big oaf is my brother."

Once it's just us again, I hold out a hand to her. "Hi, I'm ..."

"Popeye, I heard," she nods, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I'm ..."

"Let me guess." I hold up a finger to interrupt. "Tinker Bell?"

She laughs at my lame joke. And her laughter set off mine too.

After dinner that night, I learn that her name is Isabella Swan, but she prefers to be called Bella.

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 **A/N: This story is pre-written. So you'll get daily updates including on Christmas day.**

 **I'd love to know what you think of this story. So leave me a review with your thoughts?**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **See you tomorrow.**

 **Love,**

 **Ann**


	2. Chapter-2: BPOV

**A/N: Hi! So in short, I'm blown away by the warm welcome from all of you. It's really good to be back.**

 **Please note that the story is going to be told in alternating chapter names will let you know whose POV you're reading.**

 **A quick shoutout to my muse (you know who you are) who inspired me to write this story. You, my dear sweet friend, mean the world to me.**

 **Also, I'd like to thank my lovely friend and beta extraordinaire, Ashmerlin. A, it's a joy to work with you, girl. I love you.**

 **Shall we move on with our tale? ;)**

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 **Chapter-2: BPOV**

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"Rose," I call out as I grab my trusty brown paper lunch bag. "Wanna take your break with me?"

Rose looks up at me from the stack of assignments she's been grading and grins. "Edward and Emmett said they'd come over to have lunch with me," she says. "If you don't mind waiting for a little bit, I think we can all have lunch together?"

I look to my wristwatch and suppress a sigh. Pasting a smile on my face, I say, "I have a class in twenty minutes. So I'll let you have some family time today."

She opens her mouth, looking like she wants to say something but then nods. "Thanks, Bell."

Taking my lunch, I walk out to the empty playground to enjoy my lunch in silence.

That's when I see him; standing a few feet away from the bleachers, he looks up at the behemoth school building.

I take my time appreciating his form. From his tall, muscular frame to the short cropped hair and eyes I know to be the most vibrant of greens. To any girl, Edward Cullen must be what wet dreams are made of. To me, he looks like someone I could never have.

Shaking off the wistfulness, I stroll up to him and then remark quietly, "If anyone saw you looking at a building like this, they'd think you were casing the joint."

A soft chuckle escapes him as he turns his head to look at me, piercing me with those eyes I dreamed of the night before. "I'd have you know, Ms. Swan, I'm a respectable Army Sergeant."

"Oh! So you're a soldier," I act all surprised before quipping, "And here I thought you were a sailor man."

His eyebrows pulls together in confusion for just a moment before it seems to dawn on him. "Haha. Very funny, Ms. Swan," he says, his eyes dancing with a mirth I haven't felt in some time. "Guess I owe my sister a noogie for that one."

I seem to ponder on it for a second before shaking my head. "Nah. As enticing as the sight of Rose getting a noogie sounds, let's not poke the slumbering dragon in the eye."

He chuckles at my words. With a nod, he concedes. "I'll let it go this time then … since you asked so nicely."

I open my lunch bag and offer him the extra sandwich I brought in case Rose forgot to bring her lunch—which happens on a semi regular basis. He takes it gratefully, and together, we head over the bleachers to take a seat.

Sitting side by side, I let my eyes take in the unusually sunny day we're having for Washington weather. Edward bumps my shoulder with his, making me look at him. "I'm sorry," I apologize for getting lost in my own head.

He shakes his head, letting me know that it's perfectly okay to do so. "So what do you teach?"

"Chemistry, but I also fill in for the Biology teacher from time to time."

"Figures," he murmurs softly, making me frown.

Was he questioning my ability to teach both subjects because I'm a woman?

"Excuse me?" I can't hide the sharpness from my tone.

He looks startled that I heard his barely audible words, and then looks embarrassed. "I meant that with your sense of humor it's not a surprise that you're a genius who is a maestro in the sciences."

There's a hint of wistfulness in his voice that I can't really place, and then I look at the time.

"Thanks, I think," I say to him. "I have to dash though. I've got a class in a few minutes."

He takes the wrappers from our meal and promises to drop them in the recycle bin. He stands up and holds his hand out to me. "Thanks for the meal, Ms. Swan," he says sweetly. "I thought I'd perish waiting for my sister and brother-in-law to get here. You practically saved me from starvation."

I can't help but laugh at his exaggeration. "You're welcome, Soldier Man. Thank you for keeping me company. As your reward, you get to call me Bella … if we meet again."

As I'm turning to go back in, I hear him say softly, "You're welcome, Bella. I think we'll definitely meet again."

* * *

 **A/N: So … that's your second day of Christmas, ladies and gentlemen.**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts. So share them with me and leave a review?**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **See you tomorrow.**

 **Love,**

 **Ann**


	3. Chapter-3: EPOV

**A/N: Hi! You guys are awesome. I loved waking up to your reviews. Thank you for the warm welcome back to Ficsville. I hope I didn't miss anyone in my review replies.**

 **Ashmerlin, you are an angel who makes my jumbled up thoughts look pretty. :)**

 **Hope you're ready to kickstart your weekend with a little bit of Soldier Man and his Brunette Beauty. ;)**

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 **Chapter-3: EPOV**

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As I figure out their lunch routine, I start dropping by the school to have lunch with my sister _and Bella_ after that first day. Mostly, Bella keeps quiet as she watches us banter back and forth.

A week after getting back home, I start my assignment here as a drill instructor for the new recruits. Luckily for me, the training base is just a short drive away from Rose's school. So whenever I get done earlier than expected, I drop by the school to escort my sister home … and to get a glimpse of my brunette beauty.

After about a month of this pseudo-stalking, Rose corners me on our drive back to her home. "Okay, out with it," she says in her no-nonsense voice. "What are you doing, Edward?"

"Escorting my baby sister home," I answer cheekily.

Rose, however, doesn't take the bait. "I mean with Bella," she clarifies. "What are your intentions with her?"

I lift an eyebrow in question. "Are you going to play parent now?"

She pinches my arm to shut me up before saying, "I'm asking as her best friend and your sister. She's not in a good place in her life, Ed, and you ..." She doesn't complete the thought, letting it hang in the air between us.

"And I leave in five months," I finish for her. "And there's no guarantee that I'll come back."

Rose glowers at me. "Shut up. You _will_ be back after this tour."

I nod, knowing how much she fears losing me. "I will, Rosie," I say, wrapping a comforting arm around her. "I'll try my absolute best to come back to you."

For a few minutes, she doesn't speak, clutching my shirt in a tight fist as she leans into me. In her silence I read the constant trepidation she must live in while I'm overseas.

I allow her the time to compose herself and then ask, "What's wrong with Bella's life?"

Shaking her head, Rose offers me a sad smile. "That's her story to tell, not mine. Just promise me you'll be careful?"

I remember how the last time I tried to date a girl on my vacation time ended up with her finding a reason to break things off with me a few weeks before I was to be shipped off. I give her what I hope is a reassuring smile as I ask, "So do I have your blessing to I ask Bella out?"

She sighs. "Okay … as long as she agrees. Don't stress her out."

Turns out, I didn't have to stress myself out either. About a fortnight after my talk with Rose, I ask Bella out.

She says yes.

So that weekend finds us taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island. As we wander around the island filled with tourists, Bella and I walk side-by-side, our shoulders almost brushing, but not quite.

After taking in the exquisite sights and tasting the local cuisine, I lead her to the beach where we can gaze upon the Seattle skyline with the tranquility of the sea keeping us company.

A few moments pass before Bella looks curiously at me. "Do you love the sea?" she asks me.

For a second, I'm taken aback by what she means until I realize that I smiled as soon as I stepped foot on the beach. Shaking my head, I tell her, "In Iraq, you get dust and dry land … lots of it, but not much sea. So when I come home, it feels like my eyes are thirsty for the sea."

"You served in Iraq?"

Her voice is quiet as she asks the question.

I nod. "Three tours so far. This time will be my fourth."

The corners of her mouth pull downward as she takes in the information. "Is it still overly dangerous there?"

I shrug, trying to play it cool so I don't scare her away. "Not the way you see on the news, I'm sure," I tell her. "It just gets a little... depressing when you're out there all alone, you know?"

Without words, she slips a hand in my own as she steps closer to me.

The warmth of her hand in mine makes me feel most alive since I had left the country over a year ago.

I don't know the exact moment our feet stop moving, but they do. I turn my face sideways to look at Bella and ask the question I had wanted to ask the first time she called me "Soldier Man".

"Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I kiss you, please?"

There's a moment of silence as she searches my eyes for the answer to some unspoken question, and then biting her lower lip, she nods.

Reaching out, I slowly put a little pressure on her chin, making her let go of her lip. Then slowly, I move in, allowing her enough time to move away if she doesn't want this. When she doesn't move, I carefully brush my lips to hers.

Once.

Twice.

And a third time.

Then I move away, allowing both of us the time to process what just happened.

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 **A/N: I'll give you a chance to process that too. ;)**

 **I actually researched quite a bit about the area while writing this chapter so I hope it's not outrageously different from the reality. However, if that happens to be the case, I hope you'll allow me a little creative liberty with the setting as someone who has never been anywhere near the United States of America.**

 **Please share your thoughts with me and leave a review. I love hearing from you.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **See you tomorrow.**

 **Love,**

 **Ann**


	4. Chapter-4: BPOV

**A/N: Okay. So … I'm issuing a trigger and tissue paper warning for this chapter because this one deals with mentions of domestic abuse and the aftermath of that, but not in details. But my sweet beta, Ashmerlin, told me that this chapter might need a tissue paper warning. So ... you've been warned.**

 **With that being said, enjoy the fourth day of your Christmas pressie. :***

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 **Chapter-4: BPOV**

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As I slowly open my eyes, they focus on the vibrant green ones looking worriedly at me.

I open my mouth to speak, but then I watch his tongue poke out to lick his lips, as if tasting me on him, and I lose it.

Reaching out, I cup a hand behind his neck and pull his lips back on mine.

He doesn't respond for a heartbeat, but then, he's right there with me, kissing me back with the same urgency I feel.

When we part, both of us are gasping for breath as we exchange the goofiest of grins.

After that first date, Edward and I start hanging out on our own without using Rose as a buffer. He comes to my school to have lunch with me and then on weekends, he takes me out to do the most date-like things to do in Seattle. It's cheesy and somewhat clichéd, but we get to spend time together, and that's all that matters to me.

Everything seems like a dream until about a month before he's due to leave for Iraq when he takes me for a surprise wine tasting.

As soon as the smell of alcohol reaches me, I feel the small hairs at the back of my neck prickle. And then one of the servers offers two glasses of wine to us as a welcoming drink.

Without thinking about my actions, I put a hand on my face, covering my nose and mouth as I take my other hand out of Edward's and run for the exit.

"Bella! Bella, what's wrong?" I hear him call from behind, but I keep running, needing to get away from this stench as fast as possible.

Once I am outside and can feel the cool night air greeting me, I allow my feet to slow down. That's when Edward catches up to me.

When I see him reach for me, I flinch away of my own volition, and being the good man he is, he lets his hand fall to his side. He takes in the wild, tortured look in my eyes and then says softly, "There's a little park a few blocks away. We can sit there and watch the Sound. Do you wanna go?"

Silently, I nod. He nods back and then starts walking slowly, making sure I'm still beside him.

Together, we move, our bodies a few inches apart, until we reach a park bench, overlooking the body of water as he promised.

He waits until I take a seat before sitting down next to me, still maintaining the distance I had asked for with my eyes.

After the clean air begins to infiltrate my senses, I start to relax.

When I look at Edward, I see him staring at the water, giving me a sense of privacy in his own way.

That's when I decide that he deserves to know about it. All of it.

In a voice filled with trepidation, I begin speaking, keeping my eyes downcast so that I won't see the pity in his eyes once I tell him my story.

"My dad was a police officer. We used to live in a small town called Forks. I had a happy childhood … until my dad was killed in his line of duty." I take a deep breath to keep the tears, threatening to spill from my eyes, at bay. "After dad passed away, my mom moved us to Seattle. She said we'll get more opportunities in a big city. Unfortunately, that also meant a bigger supply of booze for my mother. Soon after our move, mom started waitressing at a bar. That's where she took up drinking. She became a chronic alcoholic. She'd get drunk everyday and then bring strange men home from the bar to hook up with. When the men left in the morning, she would turn on me. She would accuse me for being there and making her boyfriends leave because no one wanted to take care of someone else's kid. She would beat me until I couldn't move so she could get drunk and bring the next man home without me letting him know of my existence. In the early years of my life, I learned that I was a burden and a liability."

I stop for a moment, gulping down air to stop myself from breaking down before continuing. "When I reached my teen years, the troubles multiplied. The men mom brought home would stare at me, sometimes even try to make a pass at me. I would run away from home to hide out in the local library until morning dawned and I knew the men would be gone. But at home, mom would be waiting for me. She would blame me for trying to lure her lovers away from her. She would drink more booze and keep on beating me until I promised to not let anyone see me. I tried so hard to become invisible, to just become one with the dirty mildew-riddled walls of our apartment, but somehow someone would see me and the cycle would repeat itself."

After finishing my sordid tale, I quiet down, allowing him the chance to come to his own conclusions about me. On the outside, I try to appear aloof, but on the inside, it felt like I was going to suffocate. I fear that like my old boyfriend, Mike, Edward will run away after knowing how damaged I am.

When he speaks, his voice sounds controlled … cold almost. "What happened to your mother?"

I shrug in an attempt at nonchalance. "She married a guy half her age and got sober. They moved away to Florida. Haven't seen her since her wedding day." _Seen or even heard from her_ , I add silently. _Thank God._

He lets out a barely audible sigh. "She's lucky."

This time, I can't hide the hurt from my voice as I ask incredulously, " _She's_ lucky? I had to go to therapy for years and still flinch at the scent of alcohol and all you have to say is 'She's lucky'?"

He turns his head to look at me, finally allowing me to see the unshed tears making his eyes look brighter than the brightest star. "She's lucky because if she was anywhere near you, I would have knocked down her door and demanded that she apologize to you," he says in one breath.

That's when I let my tears fall. In a steady stream they make their way down my cheeks. My vision gets blurry and I feel Edward wrap his arms around me.

This time, I don't protest.

This time, I welcome his embrace.

He slowly rocks me in his arms, not speaking another word, not interrupting me as I mourn my lost childhood. He simply holds me to him, occasionally kissing away my tears only to have more take their spots.

Once I'm all cried out, he kisses my forehead and says something I couldn't remember hearing anyone saying to me before. "You are a survivor, honey. You lived through it all and still turned into this amazing woman. I am so proud of you."

I am stunned by his admission, and more than anything, I'm happy to have this man look at me with pride instead of pity like the others.

He holds me in his arms the entire trip back to my apartment. When he turns to leave me, I reach out to grab his arm. "Don't go," I whisper.

It takes him only a moment to decide.

He doesn't leave that night. Instead, he simply holds me in his arms as I sleep, chasing my nightmares away.

That is the first time I sleep contentedly, feeling safe, in his arms.

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 **A/N: So that's that. How are we doing?**

 **Please share your thoughts with me and leave a review. I try to address them as best as I can. :)**

 **See you tomorrow.**

 **Love,**

 **Ann**


	5. Chapter-5: EPOV

**A/N: Hi! I know that last chapter was a little hard to read as it was hard for me to write as well. So kudos to all of us for making it past that one.**

 **Let's read on, shall we?**

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 **Chapter-5: EPOV**

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The first time Bella and I have sex is a little over a week before I'm due to take my leave.

No, it doesn't happen like in the romance movies. We don't follow a candle-lit path to fall into a bed.

No, it's not staged. It just happens. And it's real.

After the first night of holding her in my arms, things get easier. Before that night, we tiptoed around the subject of our pasts; we simply wanted to live in the present, but after hearing her story, I wanted to share mine with her too. So I tell her about losing my parents, taking care of my sister when I was barely an adult myself, and I tell her about the war. No, I don't give her the gory details. It's not because I don't think she'll be able to take it, no, I don't tell her the details because I don't want her to know how close to death I will be every moment I spend in that foreign land. Instead, I tell her stories about my comrades. I tell her about huddling in a tent while a sandstorm rages outside of our little shelter. I try to make it all sound like an adventure, but the way she tightens her hold on my arm tells me that I'm not fooling anyone.

Some nights, we decide to stay with my niece, Little Evie, to let Rose and Emmett have a date night. Sitting on my sister's couch, watching her and my brother-in-law smile happily at each other, I feel an emptiness in my heart like I've never felt before. When I chance a glance at Bella, I can see a hint of the same yearning in her eyes.

Other nights, Bella and I either walk the streets of Seattle or stay in her studio apartment, ordering in and just getting lost in each other's lives. That night is no different. After polishing off our pizza, I go out to drop the box in the bin while she takes our plates in the sink. When I return, I watch her at the sink and suddenly, that emptiness in my heart tells me what it wants. It tells me that I want what my sister and Emmett has … with Bella.

Slowly, I walk up to her and place my hands on her waist before leaning forward to press a kiss to the back of her neck. She stiffens for the fraction of a moment and then, she melts in my arms. She allows me to hug her from behind while she finishes up with the dishes. Once she's done, she dries off her hands and then turns in my arms. Hand-in-hand, we make our way to her bed.

When she kisses me, I feel like I'm about to lose it. Holding her tight to myself, I say, "Bella, I should go, or ..."

Threading her fingers through my hair, she pulls my lips back to her. Softly, she whispers against my lips, "Don't go."

So I don't.

Instead, I take her in my arms and spend the whole night showing her how much she has come to mean to me … over and over.

Later that night, when she falls asleep in my arms, I don't think of my past or present. No, I think of my future and how I want Bella to be a part of it.

So two days later, I take her back to Bainbridge Island and back to the beach where I had kissed her for the first time.

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 **A/N: It's a bit shorter, I know, but we're one third of the way done, people.**

 **Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **See you tomorrow.**

 **Love,**

 **Ann**


	6. Chapter-6: BPOV

**A/N: One quick shout-out to my new readers. No matter what happens, please know that I'm a firm believer of HEAs. So while my attempt is to make this story as close to reality as possible on multiple aspects, I'd ask you to trust me.**

 **As always, Ashmerlin is an angel who makes my messy thoughts look pretty.**

 **Shall we delve into Bella's head now?**

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 **Chapter-6: BPOV**

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In the month since my breakdown, Edward and I talk a lot about wanting families of our own. We don't necessarily say that we want a family with each other, but when I see Rose with her little family, I find myself dreaming about having one of my own … with Edward.

With five days before he's supposed to leave, Edward takes me back to the beach where we had our first date. While I'm busy looking at the Seattle skyline from there, he drops to his knees before me.

An involuntary gasp escapes my lips at the implications of his actions. And then, he speaks. "Bella, I know we haven't known each other for long," he starts, making my heart jump to my throat. "I know a few months is not nearly enough to fall in love, but Bella, I want to tell you that it's more than enough for me. I am in love with you, Bella Swan."

"Edward ..."

He holds a hand up, pleading with his eyes for me to let him finish. "I am leaving the country in five days, Bella, and I don't know what I'll face out there. I know it might seem selfish, but Bella, I want to come back home … to you. I promise to spend the rest of my life making you fall in love with me. Will you marry me and be my home?"

 _Home._

His words and the look in his eyes make my heart clench as if it'll burst from happiness and from love … for the man before me. I take his hand and pull him back to his feet. Then I stand on my tiptoes and press my lips to him.

Immediately, his hands pull me to him as he returns my kiss. Once we separate, he cups my face in his hands and asks, "That's a yes, right?"

I smile. "It's a very firm yes, Sergeant."

* * *

We apply for a license right away and because I don't have anyone to walk me down the aisle, Edward and I take a drive to Forks, to invite my uncle Billy to the wedding and to give me away.

Billy, of course, agrees right away. Wiping at his eyes, he hugs me close and tells me how proud my dad would be if he was alive. I just hug him back, thankful to have a father-figure with me on my happiest day.

On the drive back to Seattle, we discover a beautiful meadow filled with wildflowers and overgrown grass. To some, it might have looked abandoned and depressing, but to us, it signifies life blooming despite obstacles being in the way. To us, it looks magical.

So, a few days later, despite Rose's whining about having no time to prepare for the wedding, Edward and I exchange vows in our magical meadow and become husband and wife.

Our first night as a married couple, Edward promises me three things … one, this is going to be his last tour, two, he will come back to me no matter what, and three, he'll love me forever.

As for me, I just hold him to me with everything I've got, hoping and praying that the day of his departure never comes and we can start our happily ever after right away.

The next few days are … blissful, in a way. We spend our days talking about our pasts and planning our future, and our nights are spent getting lost in each other.

After much coaxing, he begrudgingly tells me that he used to be a really lanky kid back in school, but when high school rolled around, he started working out and slowly grew into the muscular adonis I see today. He tells me that that's why Rose calls him Popeye.

In return, I tell him about how accident-prone I used to be when I was younger and that my uncoordinated movements got me the nickname Bambi. He kisses my pout away and then kisses me some more. Time, it seems, is finally ours for the taking.

The thing about time is … it's cruel. When you want it to slow down, it flies.

So when two days later, my husband walks toward the airport security, taking my heart with him, I don't break down. I harden my heart and wave at him with a smile on my face.

The tears come when I return to my empty apartment with his scent lingering over the bedsheets where we'd spent the night making love.

 _Edward, you have to come back to me._

* * *

 **A/N: A quick note about the Popeye part. Popeye the Sailor Man was a very popular cartoon I grew up watching. The character, Popeye, was a skinny dude who would munch on some spinach and grow instant muscles. So yeah … that's where the analogy came from.**

 **Hope you're enjoying this story. I love hearing your thoughts. So please share them with me and leave a review.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **See you tomorrow.**

 **Love,**

 **Ann**


	7. Chapter-7: EPOV

**A/N: Thank you for your massive response to the previous chapter. I will respond to your reviews shortly.**

 **Shall we carry on with our tale for now?**

* * *

 **Chapter-7: EPOV**

* * *

When I step foot in Iraq, I feel optimistic, thinking of how the same time next year, I'll be home with my wife.

My wife.

My Bella.

The thought of my new bride waiting for me at home is what keeps me going.

In the army, the most unbearable thing is loneliness. Imagine patrolling miles across mountainous land or in the middle of the desert with no one but your comrades in sight. You start to yearn for the family you left behind at home. So when it's just us soldiers, the topic of our discussions naturally turns to who left whom behind and what are they planning to do to their girlfriends or wives when they get home.

I never take part in these testosterone-filled discussions, choosing to simply state that my wife is waiting for me and I missed her. However, when I'm alone with my thoughts, my mind always goes back to the days I spent getting lost in our own world in my Bella's arms. At night, when the air gets so chilly that army issued sleeping bags can't keep me warm, I try to escape the cold by imagining Bella's warm embrace.

When on Christmas day, we get to call our families, I call my Bella. Hearing her whisper my name with a mixture of relief and desperation fills my soul with the happiness I've only ever experienced with her. Bella sounds tired as she tells me about how she's glad to have the time off for holidays. I tell her to take care of herself for me. When we hang up, I have a smile plastered on my face that makes my comrades laugh and call me a love-struck fool. I don't really mind being a fool for Bella.

As the weeks roll on to months, the loneliness starts to get to me. I send Bella e-mails when I can, but her answers start sounding subdued. Working with the hot middle-eastern sun, my mind races wondering if something is wrong with my wife.

In the beginning of March, after getting a brief response from Bella to my lengthy e-mail, I decide that I need to check in on her. So I put in a request for a phone call home. Two days later, when Bella answers my call, her voice is barely recognizable to me.

"Bella? How are you doing, sweetheart?" I ask the moment she picks up the call.

"Edward?" her voice sounds alarmed at hearing from me. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I answer. "How are you?"

"Fine," she answers offhandedly. "Do you need me to send anything from home?"

I frown at the nonchalance in her voice. "Bella, is everything alright? You don't sound like yourself, honey."

There's silence from the other side before I hear a soft sob.

"Bella!" I call out, gripping the phone tightly in my hand as if it's my lifeline. "Baby, please, you're scaring me. Talk to me."

For a few moments, all I hear are sniffles from her end. Once she quietens, she says in a groggy voice, "I'm sorry, Edward, I'm always crying these days. I miss you like crazy and ..."

"And what, Bella?" I prompt when she doesn't complete the thought. "You sounded like you're mad at me."

"I am," she says immediately. "I mean I was. I know I shouldn't have be like this, but I need you with me. Now more than ever."

My heart feels like it's about to break in two as I close my eyes and lean my head back in dejection. "Honey, it's just a few more months, in nine months, I'll be home to you." I try to soothe her.

"And in six months, the baby will be here!" she snaps at me before starting to sob again. "How can I deal with him alone, Edward? We're supposed to do this together."

"Baby?" I choke out the word, positive that I've heard her wrong. "Do you mean …?"

"Yes, Edward," she tells me. "I'm pregnant."

I take a few moments to process the news as a new ray of hope starts to spread in my heart. "No, sweetheart," I say to her softly. " _We're_ pregnant, and I am so happy, Bella. This is the best thing in the world. We're going to be parents!"

My exuberance seems to alleviate whatever worries she had, and when we hang up, she sounds equally excited at the prospect of having our very own family.

When I lie in my sleeping bag that night, I dream of going back home.

To my wife and my child.

To my family.

* * *

 **A/N: So yeah … a few of you guessed it right. :D**

 **And just so you know, we're halfway done with this story.**

 **Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **See you tomorrow.**

 **Love,**

 **Ann**


	8. Chapter-8: BPOV

**A/N: I'm loving how so many of you can relate to this story of mine. This is exactly what I wanted to write when I started writing this one … a story based on reality with real life issues. So thank you for sharing your experiences with me through reviews and PMs.**

 **In case I haven't said it lately, Ashmerlin is one amazing beta a writer can dream to have by her side.**

* * *

 **Chapter-8: BPOV**

* * *

Just like he had brought light and happiness back into my life, Edward leaves for his tour taking all my happiness with him.

In the early days after his departure, I make an effort to live life differently from how I used to. _I'm a newly-married bride now_ , I tell myself. _I'm supposed to see the world through rose-tinted glasses._

Unfortunately, when you get used to having someone be there for you and then the person leaves for a year, things start to feel overwhelming.

As the new year sets in, so does my depression. No matter how many hours I spend sleeping, I still feel tired to my bones, and when I do sleep, it's not the peaceful slumber I used to have wrapped up in Edward's arms. No, now I sleep fitfully, most nights waking up from nightmares.

With the exhaustion comes the anorexia. No matter how less I eat, I start to feel bloated all day everyday. So I decide to avoid food as much as possible. A few weeks passes and e-mails from Edward become more sparse. He tells me that they do not have a secure internet connection most days so it takes him time to respond to me. I get that, but my heart doesn't. My stupid heart seems to think that he's forgetting me. Deep into the night, my nightmares whisper in my ears that I'll be left alone once again.

I try to keep my emotions under the wraps, but one day in February, I just lose it when a paper gets stuck inside the printer. I thump the stupid machine twice before letting out a loud sob. "Why does this always happen to me?" I wail.

Abby, one of the administrative assistants, comes over to help me, but it looks to me as if she's pitying me and I lash out at her. "Leave it!" I growl at her. "I can handle it on my own. I didn't ask for your help."

Her eyes widen, and blinking fast, as if to keep tears at bay, she starts to back away from me. The unshed tears in her eyes make mine wet too. Without meaning to, I grab her in a hug and start apologizing profusely.

Once I've calmed down, Abby offers me a hesitant smile and quickly moves to the far corner of the office. As I yank the paper out of the printer and head over to sit at my desk, I catch Rosalie's eyes. My sister-in-law stares at me open-mouthed, and I blush slightly at my silly outburst. "I'm sorry," I mouth to her.

For a few moments, I keep my eyes trained on the papers I am grading before looking back up at Rose. Her dumbstruck expression seems to have been replaced with an almost calculating look as she smiles at me.

A few classes later, when we're walking out of the school together, Rose turns to me. "Bell, how are you doing?"

A spark of irritation sizzles through me because if anyone should know how pathetic my life currently is, it would be her. "I'm just dandy, Rose," I say irritably. "My husband is in who-knows-where doing who-knows-what and I'm just fucking amazing!"

Instead of looking insulted by my attack, a look of understanding crosses her face. She wraps her arm across my shoulder and gives me a little squeeze. "I miss him too, Bell," she says softly. "Don't worry. Edward is a tough guy. He'll come back to us. He always does."

The soft tone of her voice is my undoing and before I know, I'm hugging her and bawling my eyes out as I mumble about how much I've been missing him and how scary it is to not hear from him some days. She just lets me cry for a few minutes before pulling away and wiping away my tears. "You feel like going for a girls' night tonight?" she asks me brightly. "We can just watch a chick-flick and pig out on junk food."

I smile at her offer and nod before saying, "How about we watch action movies instead?"

She shrugs. "I'm in. So does Mark Wahlberg do it for you?"

"Better him than Nicholas Sparks."

The incident happens when our cheese pizza arrives. One whiff of the cheese and I am running for the toilet and emptying the almost nonexistent contents of my stomach there. Rose doesn't say anything except for holding my hair back and rubbing my back. Once the retching stops, she makes me sit across from her and puts the movie on pause and then she asks _the_ question. "So when was your last visit from Aunt Flo?"

I frown as her words. "What do you mean?"

She sighs. "Bella, whenever I call you, you say you're in bed and yet you look like a panda with the dark circles underneath your eyes. You don't finish your lunch and say you're full after just a few bites. Add in the mood swings I've been observing and now the up-chuck reflex from smelling the pizza, I think we should buy a pregnancy test."

Suddenly, it all seems to click in my head, and after taking a large gulp of my water, I whisper, "We should buy a couple, just to be sure."

About an hour later, I stand in Rose's bathroom with tear tracks running down my cheeks as I stare at five tests on the counter … each showing different positive signs in pink and blue.

Placing a hand on my still flat stomach, I let out a gut-wrenching sob.

That night, as I fall asleep, the resentment starts to build.

 _He left me alone to take care of our child while he runs around saving others_ , the little devil on my shoulder whispers to me.

 _But he's trying to create a safe world for our baby_ , the little angel counters.

I just know one thing for certain: I need Edward, now more than ever.

* * *

After going to my first doctor's appointment with Rose, I ask her if there's a way for Edward to come home early. She seems to think for a moment and then grimaces. "The only thing I can think of is right now is extreme emergencies, or ... if a soldier is so badly hurt that he won't be able to continue to serve, then he's sent back home earlier than scheduled."

 _Shit! That's not how I want him to come home to me_ , I decide.

So for the next month, I try to hide the news of the baby from Edward, not because I was mad at him or anything, no, because I didn't want him to do something reckless in order to come back home early.

Edward, of course, being the perceptive man he is, confronts me about it, and unable to hold it in anymore, I tell him. About the baby, about how I've been feeling, all of it. He listens intently and once I'm done, he tells me how excited he is to have a family with me. Hearing the anticipation in his voice, makes all my fears and worries just melt away.

When we hang up, I know that this child will bring happiness and fulfilment in our family.

Our very own family.

* * *

 **A/N: So there you go! You see why she didn't tell him earlier. It might be a bit irrational, but with pregnancy hormones causing her emotions to run rampant, it's entirely plausible.**

 **The printer situation is loosely based on an experience I had in RL; except it was a pharmaceutical grade tablet compression machine and I was in Abby's place.**

 **Please keep sharing your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **Love,**

 **Ann**


	9. Chapter-9: EPOV

**A/N: Because you've all been such amazing readers, here's another chapter of your pressie. 3**

* * *

 **Chapter-9: EPOV**

* * *

 _Hey there Sergeant,_

 _No, you know what? I prefer Soldier Man better, because you're my man. Anyway, I won't ask where you are because I know you won't tell me. So just tell me that you're safe, healthy and happy, OK?_

 _Oh! I have to tell you about this cutest thing Evie did the other day. Apparently, Emmett taught her that she's going to have a cousin who lives inside me for now. So she's started hugging me and whispering to the baby asking him to come play with her. Of course then your stupid brother-in-law ruined it by telling her the reason behind her cousin being inside me—he told her that I ate the baby! Can you believe it? I've threatened him with a noogie from you when you come home. You will do that for me, won't you, Edward?_

 _You'll be pleased to know, Sergeant Cullen, that I have scheduled an ultrasound next Monday. So that's when we'll know whether we're having a boy or a girl. I know you keep saying that you think it's a girl, but I kinda want a little Edward running around the house. Will it upset you if we have a boy?_

 _I don't know if it's the loneliness or not, but I swear I've been feeling movements inside me for the last two days. It mostly happens when I forget to eat. So apparently, our baby is growing up to be a foodie._

 _I miss you, Edward. How many more months to go before you'll be home? I think the baby misses you too. He's almost as restless as I am in the nights when I wish you were there with us._

 _Please stay safe, honey, and come home to us when you're done saving the world._

 _Yours,_

 _Bella._

I reread the email a few more times until I have it almost memorized. Although she tried to keep things sounding upbeat, I can detect the constant anxiety and fear she must live in for my safety. It's moments like this when I desperately wish I could go home just so I could wrap her up in my arms.

I laugh at her description of Emmett's antics; having Emmett around will definitely keep Bella's spirits high. I feel grateful that Rose had her move to an apartment closer to them.

A part of me, a very tiny yet prominent part of me, envies my sister and her family, including little Evie. Not because they're at home and I'm not; no, I envy them because they get to be there with Bella, see her and our child grow while I'm stuck here yearning to get a chance to talk to the baby like Evie does.

Taking a deep breath, I start composing my reply to her.

 _Hello Love,_

 _I'm happy to report that your man is very much healthy and safe. He's just a little homesick for you, but these next few months will go by quick. I'm sure of it._

 _Emmett is still a big man-child I see. Don't you worry, honey, when I get home to you, I'll give noogies to anyone who's given you trouble._

 _Bella, never think that I'll not be thrilled to have any child you give me. While I must tell you that I was not a handsome child, if you wish for a Little Edward, you'll get him. If this baby is a girl, which I feel she is for some inexplicable reason, we'll try for that baby boy whenever you want. I just want both my child and my wife to be healthy._

 _Now a foodie baby sounds very much like me. I'm sure she's taking after me in that aspect. Also, I think she knows that her daddy won't like mommy skipping meals so she's just keeping you healthy for me._

 _I know, baby, I miss you too. We're halfway there, sweetheart. Just six more months and I'll come home to you. I promise._

 _Things here are hot, sweaty and icky … exactly how you expect it to be when you stick a bunch of rowdy dudes in a tent._

 _I'd love to see the sonogram picture when you get it. Will you send it to me in your next email?_

 _I love you, Bella, with all my heart._

 _Your Edward._

"Sarge, we gotta head out," PFC Black says to me from behind.

"Yeah," I tell him. "I'll be right there."

With one more glance at the email, I hit the send button before picking up my gear and walking out of the communications tent.

* * *

After switching place with the Bravo Team to patrol the surrounding area, I divide my team in smaller units. I decide to patrol the perimeter by myself, but Black, ever so eager to learn from me, requests to accompany me.

Together, we cover half of the perimeter in silence. I'm about to suggest that we do an about turn when a soft whistle-like sound passes us by from overhead. It's so low and flitting that I don't get the chance to discern whether it's created by a bird or the wind or worse … a human. Instinct takes over, I drop to my knees and grabbing Black's arm, yank him down next to me.

A split second later, a distinctly familiar whistling sound rushes past the spot Black's head was just seconds before.

"Is that a bullet?" Black asks me, his eyes wide with fear.

I nod, dragging him with me to a ditch I can see. _Thank you God for the unseasonal rain this evening!_

Once we're lying in the ditch, I grab my radio and say in a clear voice, "This is Alpha Team. We are taking fire.. Send reinforcements, stat."

* * *

 **A/N: I know I'm terrible for leaving you hanging, but it felt like the right place to stop for now.**

 **Four more chapters to go after this.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **See you tomorrow.**

 **Love,**

 **Ann**


	10. Chapter-10: EPOV

**A/N: *Peeks from hideout* everyone still here, right? As a reward for patiently waiting for the update, this chapter is also in EPOV and picks up right where we left off yesterday.**

 **So … shall we?**

* * *

 **Chapter-10: EPOV**

* * *

The minutes that pass us by with me and Black lying in that ditch and waiting for backup to show up are possibly the longest in my life.

Black crouches next to me with his back slightly turned. As I try to calm my heartbeats down and praying like Hell that those two shots were just rogue bullets, fired because of a slip of finger, I hear footsteps … just two sets … approaching us.

I take a glance at the slightly shivering man by my side and make the decision. As the senior officer, it's my responsibility to make sure my men are safe.

With my decision made, I slowly move to peek above the ground, trying to keep my eyes in level with the ground so I can see without being seen.

I watch two men wearing dark clothes and with their heads wrapped in some kind of black clothing materials slowly approaching us, stopping to look through the mud as if trying to find bodies.

When they're just a few feet away from us, the one in the front turns to the other and asks in very clear English, "Do you think those assholes managed to run away?"

The other dude shakes his head. "Negative. I didn't see any movement."

 _Their English isn't accented. So does that mean they're not local extremists?_

I turn to see the same question reflected in Black's eyes as he lifts his eyebrows, asking for direction. Placing a finger on my lips, I tell him to stay silent as I turn my gaze back to the shooters.

Steeling my nerves, I wait for them to come closer to us, my fingers clutching my handgun like a lifeline. Black seems to realize what I'm planning because from the corner of my eyes, I watch him sit a little upright and raise his firearm higher. I signal him to take the man on his left as I target the man approaching from my right.

With my finger poised on the trigger, I start to stand when suddenly the sound of a series of gunshots shatter the silence of the night. Blaring horns announce the arrival of two jeeps. Looking up, I see Captain Denali jump off his jeep and striding up to where one of the men lie groaning as he holds his bleeding left knee.

I motion Black to come out now that we're among friendlies. "There you are!" Captain Denali says with a sigh of relief. He comes forward to clap me on the back, and then together, we approach to inspect the fallen men.

Once they're both bound and gagged by our comrades, PFC Clearwater removes their hoods and I suck in a shocked breath. "Yorkie?" The name escapes me as I stare open-mouthed at the beady-eyed man before me.

A sneer appears on his face as he grinds his teeth in anger. "Yes, Cullen," he grins. "Surprised to see me?"

"Sarge, you know him?" Black asks me from behind.

I nod. "Eric Yorkie was a CIA agent who used to work in collaboration with us during my first tour in Iraq." Turning my eyes at Yorkie, I say, "What are you doing in Al-Tanf? I thought you were dead."

He snorts. "Dead! The United States don't pay as good as the ISIS, _Sergeant_. Congratulations on the promotion, by the way," he says with a leer.

The Captain frowns. "What are you saying, Yorkie? You turned on your own country and became a mercenary?"

"My country!" Yorkie pffts. "I don't fucking care who I work for, Captain, as long as I get paid."

I open my mouth to argue, but Captain Denali holds a hand up to silence me. "Don't bother, Sergeant. I'll let our contact in the CIA know that they have a rogue agent at hand. How they deal with him is their responsibility." He steps up to stand very close to Yorkie before adding, "Just so you know, Mr. Yorkie, aside from being a traitor, you just shot at two of my men with intent to kill. So as long as you're in my custody, I'll make sure that you and your little mercenary friend here are treated with appropriate _hospitalities_."

* * *

It takes two days for the CIA to extricate Yorkie from our custody and take him back home to be tried and punished for his offense. The effects of the incident with him, however, stays with me far longer than that.

When I write to Bella, I don't tell her about the ambush or anything in relation to that incident because aside from the sensitive nature of the information, I don't want her to worry. However, I think about the fear I felt lying in that ditch that night … a fear of never meeting my child … a fear of breaking the promises I made to my wife.

So a week later, when Bella's email comes in bearing the attachment of the sonogram picture, I take a print out of it and keep it in my pocket … as a reminder of the life that awaits me when I return home.

The next few months pass me by in a blur … sometimes quick like the sand and sometimes in a haze. And before I know it, the red circled day in the dusty calendar I've hung up in my tent arrives.

The day Bella's due to have her c-section.

The day our child is to arrive in this world.

* * *

 **A/N: So … yeah. I hope I'm forgiven for the cliffy?**

 **Please share your thoughts with me and leave a review. I love to hear your theories and experiences.**

 **Oh and to the "Guest" who's been leaving scathing reviews to my fics, you should probably know that there's a "moderate review" option where I can just delete your hateful reviews and be done with it. Also, your reviews while quite vitriolic, do have the power to increase my review count so that isn't really harmful for me. All I ask of you is for you to show a little respect and compassion for the soldiers out there who are working to establish peace all over the world. Disrespecting them is a horrible way to pay for their sacrifices. So please don't do that.**

 **Anywho, see you tomorrow. Only three more chapters left.**

 **Love,**

 **Ann**


	11. Chapter-11: BPOV

**A/N: Hi, just wanted to point it out that we had a slight time jump toward the end of last chapter.**

 **Also, thank you for your sweet supportive reviews. The immense support you've shown me makes up for the shitty ones in hundred folds. You guys are amazing.**

 **Now, who's ready to meet Baby Cullen?**

* * *

 **Chapter-11: BPOV**

* * *

The morning dawns like any other. I lie for ten solid minutes, simply staring at the clock on my nightstand, wondering whether it's worth it to leave the comfort of my bed. Of course my daughter doesn't like that. She aims a kick right to my stomach as if to jump-start my day.

I place a hand over my swollen and ready to burst belly and rub it soothingly. "Today's the day, baby. I'm finally going to meet you today." There's a slight movement against my hand as if she's agreeing with me. I let out a soft sigh. I'm going to miss communicating with her like this, but the thought of having my baby in my arms fills me up with joy.

 _If only your daddy was here, baby._

Dashing away the tears starting to make their way down my cheeks, I steel myself and start my day.

My gynaecologist said there were some complications with the baby's positioning so a c-section is a safer option. Despite my apprehensions of going under the knife like that, I agreed to go through with it. After all, with my husband fighting in a war on the other side of the world, I didn't think I was equipped to handle any unannounced emergency situations. So I carefully pack my own hospital bag and a small bag with some of the baby stuff I had gotten on my babyshower.

Rose, being the extraordinarily caring friend and aunt she is, knocks on my door just as I'm starting to wonder what else I should bring with me. As soon as the door is opened, she breezes in and start going through her list of what we should bring to the hospital.

So, after adding about a dozen more things into a separate bag, we finally step out of my apartment building just in time to see Emmett pull their SUV into the driveway. He steps out of the car with a wide smile and holds the door open for me. "Ready to make me an uncle, Little Bella?" Hearing his words, reminds me that I'm about to go through this without my husband. Without any warning, I burst into tears, wishing it was Edward who was here to take me to the hospital.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Emmett asks, looking horrified that he might have offended me in some way.

Shaking my head, I only manage to utter his name. "Edward ..."

Rosalie wraps me in her arms and shushes me softly. "It's OK, Bell," she whispers in my hair. "He's fighting to make the world a better place for the baby, remember? Besides he'll be back soon. He promised."

"But ..."

She shakes her head, looking sternly at me. "No buts, young lady. You're going to get _your_ butt into the car and we're going to have the baby today. You're not allowed to think so negatively today of all days." When I don't respond at all, she squeezes my shoulder. "What do you think Edward would've done if he was here?"

A small giggle escapes me as I imagine my husband—who sounded beyond excited and more than a little scared in his last email—running around and making sure everything is perfect for my and the baby's comfort. "He would do his best to take care of us both," I answer honestly.

"Exactly!" Rose says. "Now will you please let us take care of you and the baby? I mean we're no Edward, but we are family."

I give her a hug in response to let her know how much I appreciate having her and Emmett there with me, and with one more deep sigh, I get into the car.

* * *

Hours, or what feels like years later, I lie in my hospital bed, staring at the miracle in my arms. There, wrapped in a little pink bundle, lies the baby girl I've been carrying inside me for the past nine months. I keep checking her fingers and toes, marvelling at the utter perfection she is.

Softly, the door to my hospital room opens and first Rose and then Emmett peeks in. "May we come in?"

I smile at them and nod. "Baby," I coo softly to my daughter. "Your uncle and aunt are here to meet you."

"What's her name?" Emmett asks me.

I suck in a startled breath as I realize that despite playing around with names during our email exchanges, Edward and I never settled on a particular name. _How horrible of a mother am I?_ Trying to blink back the tears, I shake my head. "I … I don't … know. I need to talk to Edward … before I pick a name..."

Grinning, Emmett holds out his phone to me. "Someone has been texting me, begging to see you."

I look into the screen and I can see my husband, looking haggard and with bags under his eyes. "Edward?" I gasp in shock. "What happened to you?"

He frowns and then starts shaking his head. "That's supposed to be my line, Mrs. Cullen. How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

I manage what I hope resembles a smile as I try to swallow around the lump in my throat. "I'm OK. You?"

He smiles back at me. "I'm good, now that I've seen you." His eyes roam about for a second before he asks, "Is she there with you? Can I see her?"

I motion Emmett to move the camera so it's focused on the baby's face. I watch as Edward takes his first look at our baby and I watch in utter disbelief as his face crumbles and the strong man I'd married starts to openly wipe away his tears. "That's our girl?" I hear him ask softly.

I move Emmett's hand so the camera is focused on both of us and then nod. "That's our girl. We need a name though. She's currently Baby Girl Cullen."

Edward focuses his bright eyes on our baby and whispers, "Lily. She's so pink and delicate … just like a lily."

"Lily?" I repeat, testing the name out. "Lily Cullen?"

"Liliana Carlie Cullen?" Edward responds. "We can call her Lily."

"Carlie?" I can't help but ask.

"After our dads; Carlisle and Charlie," Edward says with a smile. "And Liliana after Rosalie Lilian."

I reach over and squeeze Rose's hand as I smile up at my husband. "It's perfect."

"The perfect girl needs a perfect name," he tells me. "Thank you, Bella, today you've completed my family."

"Our," I correct him, feeling tears prickle at the corners of my eyes. "Our family, Edward. Just a few more months and you'll be with us."

He nods. "Just a few more months."

The words are at the tip of my tongue, but I hold them off; instead I simply smile at him.

I can wait a few more months.

* * *

 **A/N: Any guesses what she's going to tell him? ;)**

 **I know most of you wanted him to be there for the birth, but this is the exact picture I had in my head when the idea first came to me.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **Please share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

 **See you tomorrow.**

 **Love,**

 **Ann**


	12. Chapter-12: EPOV

**A/N: It's past midnight here, so let me wish a very Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and to everyone else, hope you have a happy and healthy holiday season.**

 **I know I don't say it enough, but Ashmerlin is a kickass beta and I'm beyond lucky to have her by my side.**

 **Let's bring our boy home now, shall we?**

* * *

 **Chapter-12: EPOV**

* * *

The last two months of my deployment pass in a sluggish pace. In between my work, I try to keep in touch with Bella, providing moral support and keeping her from sinking into post-partum depression.

Since Lily's birth, Captain Denali has been more than accommodating with my phone calls. While it certainly helps to be able to hear Bella's voice and my daughter's coos, I yearn to whisk my girls up in my arms. I can hear the exhaustion in Bella's voice every time we talk; it's there with every short email response she sends me, and I can only marvel at her strength in taking care of the baby all on her own.

When I tell Captain Denali about this being my last tour of duty, he understands. He tells me how he ruined his marriage by coming back to war-torn countries again and again and ignoring his family in the process. He advises me to know where my priorities lie. That night, when I lie awake, looking at a photograph of my wife holding our daughter, I know what my priority is … where my heart lies.

* * *

During my flight home, we make a stopover at Dubai. As I'm mindlessly walking around Dubai International Airport, Black, or Jake, as I am to address him now that we're both off duty, points to a bakery shop. "Sarge, do you mind if we grab a few cookies there?"

Smiling at his exuberance, I shrug. "Sure. We've got time to kill anyway."

I'm surprised when he reaches for gingerbread cookies instead of something more like the local delicacies. "Why gingerbread?" I ask him as he joins the line to pay for them. "You can have as many of them as you want when you get home."

He grins widely. "It's Christmas time, Sarge. Besides," he says, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Gingerbread can make a girl fall in love with you."

I scoff at the idea, and he persists. "I'm serious, Sarge. I read about it in an article. In 16th Century, apothecaries sold Gingerbread to chicks who were to give them to men they liked. If the man ate it, he'd fall in love with the girl."

"And you're the _gir_ l who wants to lure a man into her trap?" I say jokingly.

He huffs. "There's this girl in the Rez I grew up in, Ok? Her name's Leah, and I really like her, but she doesn't want to date a soldier." He pulls a face at that. "I'm hoping to make her fall in love with me so she won't oppose when I leave for the next tour."

I roll my eyes at the absurdity. "Then you need to romance her, Jake, not feed her some Christmas cookie."

"Not all of us can be so lucky as to meet the right woman and fall in love all within the span of six months, Sarge," he remarks before heading for the cashier.

Realization dawns when his words hit me hard.

 _Despite everything we've been through together, Bella hasn't told me that she loves me. Not once._

Although in my heart, I think that she must return my feelings, but … I realize that I want, no, need, that part of her … her heart.

So when we're done with our shopping, I make up some excuse and double back to pick up one package of cookies for my wife … just for luck.

* * *

Landing at Sea-Tac Airport, the formalities are done as quickly as possible, and before I know it, I'm saying goodbye to Jake and promising to meet up sometime soon. Once his back is turned, I start on my own way, walking as fast as my legs can carry me toward that elusive door where my girls would be waiting for me.

As the doors open to reveal the sea of people waiting to welcome their loved ones home for the holidays. I barely manage to take two steps out of the door when a blur appears before my eyes and collides with me, holding me tight. I look down to see the mane of mahogany hair I've dreamed of for the past year.

"Bella?" My voice is barely a whisper as I call her name.

She tightens her arms around my middle in response and pushes her face to my chest, her fingers gripping the back of my uniform in a tight grip. I hear her mumble something to my chest, but with the hubbub around us, I fail to distinguish her words. Moving back a little, I free one hand to take her chin in between my thumb and forefinger and ask, "Could you repeat that, sweetheart? I didn't quite catch that."

She jerks her face to the side so that it's free from my grip and then resumes her earlier position, her face pressed over my heart. This time, she turns her face sideways to make her words discernible. "Never again, please, Edward," she pleads, her voice making my heart shatter in a million pieces. "I can't go through that again. I can't risk losing you again. Please."

I move to press a kiss on the top of her head and then unentagle her from me so I can finally look into her face. "Never again, baby. I'll be wherever you are now," I promise. The emotions I see on her face make my heart race, hoping that I am right … she does love me.

Now all I need is the gingerbread to work its magic.

* * *

The thing about love at first sight is that its overly romanticized; hence has become unbelievable to most people. I used to be one of the most people. However, the moment I see her for the very first time and take her in my arms, it's like the spell has been cast, and she's the most perfect being in my world.

Yes, that's exactly how I realized that my daughter is the one girl I would unabashedly declare to loving from the very first sight. With her baby hair in the exact shade of mahogany like her mother's and eyes as green as my own, she's the perfect mixture of us, and I couldn't imagine being away from her anymore.

So when Rose and Emmett graciously offer to take Lily for the night to allow Bella and I a chance to catch up, I decline. On the walk back to the car, I try to gauge Bella's reaction to me saying no to my sister, hoping she understands my need to have both my girls with me tonight. The way she cuddles into my side, clutching Lily to her chest tells me that she understands.

In our new home, the apartment Bella moved to after my leaving, we settle down Lily and then Bella offers to give me a tour of the house. Instead, I pull her into my arms and press my lips to hers like I have been dying to do the moment I laid eyes on her today. With a soft hum, she melts in my embrace.

Breaking our kiss, I take her hand and lead her back to where I had dropped my duffle bag after getting home. One quick rummage yields the treat I'm looking for, and with a flourish, I hold it up to her. "For you, my beautiful bride," I say cheekily.

She takes the package from my hands and peeks inside, her eyebrows pulling together in confusion. "Gingerbread Men?" she asks, looking back up at me. "You brought me cookies from war?"

I bite the inside of my cheek and smile sweetly. "Not from war, honey. I got them from the airport."

"I could've made them for you, you know? If you had told me you wanted your Christmas cookies early this year," she says as she slowly unwraps one of the cookies and hands it to me.

Being already in love with her, I know that I don't need one. So I take it and lift it to her mouth. "These are for you, love."

"And I want to share them with my husband," she tells me. "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, I just ..." I rack my brain for a plausible reason for my not eating it and spew the first thing that pops into my head. "These gingerbread _men_ have been bought for you by _your man_. So it is only right that you eat them."

She frowns at me then. "You're making it sound very fishy. Are these rigged or something?"

Seeing her eyes starting to narrow, I make an executive decision. So what if I eat one cookie? I can't be anymore in love with her than I already am. So bringing the cookie back to my mouth, I take a large bite of it. After swallowing a mouthful of cookie, I grin at her. "See? Not rigged."

I watch with utmost eagerness as she considers the cookie for a moment and then brings it up to her lips for a tentative bite. She slowly chews the cookie and then swallows before smiling at me. "It's actually very delicious … very Christmas-y. Thank you, Edward. It's been sometime since I really celebrated Christmas."

"Didn't Rose invite you?" I can't help but ask.

She nods. "She did, but Christmas is a time for family and I didn't have a family to celebrate it with. Until now." As she adds the last two words, that truly beautiful smile appears on her face.

I can't resist it any longer. Taking her in my arms, I kiss her long and hard and then say, "From this year, you'll have your very own family to celebrate with, baby. We have many lost Christmases to make up for."

She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me again. Once our kiss breaks, she smiles up at me and says, "I love you."

I'm astounded by the sheer suddenness of her declaration and a little taken aback because my skeptic self can't believe that the cookies could work so fast. "What did you just say?"

She bites her lips and blushes brightly. "I'm sorry it took me so long to say it," she tells me, her voice filled with emotion. "I couldn't bring myself to believe it that I could have a forever kind of love."

"Do you believe it now?"

She nods. "With every fiber of my being. I love you, Edward."

A goofy grin threatens to split my face in two as I ask, "Since when?"

"Since that night at the Sound," she answers honestly. "And every day onward."

"That is a long time," I remark. Arching an eyebrow questioningly, I add, "You do realize that you have to say it a lot more times to make up for the lost time, don't you?"

Just as she opens her mouth to respond, Lily's cries reach us through the baby monitor. Hand-in-hand, we walk to the nursery to soothe our daughter. As I watch Bella cradle our beautiful baby girl in her arms, I whisper to her, "Would you mind saying it again?"

She lifts her eyes to mine and whispers back, "I love you."

 _Thank you, Gingerbread_ , I want to say, instead, I settle for asking hopefully, "Forever?"

"Forever," she promises.

I gather both my girls in my arms and hold them where they belong … close to my heart.

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it, my lovelies. Only the epilogue is left now. :)**

 **As for the Gingerbread myth, it's based on a Time Magazine article from 2016, titled "The Surprising Reasons Why Gingerbread Men Became a Holiday Classic". According to the article, the idea was generated back in 16th century. During this time, Gingerbread Men were sold to young women by folk-medicine practitioners (also described as witches or magicians) as tokens of love. It was said that if they could get the man of their choice to eat the gingerbread man that had been made for them, the man would then fall in love with the young woman. This little tidbit was uncovered by my muse herself who was kind enough to share it with me when I asked for her permission to write this story.**

 **Please share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **See you tomorrow.**

 **Love,**

 **Ann**


	13. Chapter-13: BPOV

**A/N: Before we dive into the epilogue to this story, I'd like to thank you all for the massive response to this little story of mine. After being MIA for so long in FicsVille, it's been a heartwarming experience for me to be welcomed back in this way. I loved every moment of working on this story. I hope you have enjoyed reading it too.**

 **I also must thank my muse who is one of the strongest human beings I've come in contact with through this amazing fandom. I hope I did justice to your own experience in this story you inspired. I love you … so much … and all without Gingerbread. ;)**

 **A big hug with sloppy kisses goes to my beta and one of my closest friends in the fandom and in real life, Ashmerlin. I seriously lucked out when I met you. I love you beyond I can express with my erroneous words.**

 **Now, shall we say a proper goodbye to the Cullen family? Just for clarification, this takes place one year after Edward's return from his tour of duty.**

* * *

 **Chapter-13: BPOV**

* * *

 _Christmas Morning, 2019_

* * *

As I'm checking on the turkey and putting finishing touches on our very traditional first proper Christmas dinner, I feel two strong arms wrap around me from behind. Then a stubbly kiss is pressed on the side of my neck. "Merry Christmas, love," his slightly sleep-roughened voice whispers against my skin.

I suppress a giggle at the tickly feeling of his unshaven jaw against my skin and say solemnly, "Nice of you to join me, Sarge. I was under the impression you wanted to go halfsies on the Christmas prep this year since we didn't have much time to do that last time."

He chuckles, the vibrations reminding me of the wonderful things they did to my skin the night before. "What can I say, Mrs. Cullen? You wore me out." I can practically hear the cheeky smile in his voice.

Closing the oven door with a little extra bend in my hips, I turn to face him. "Was I too much for you, Soldier Man?" I tease.

His eyes narrow at my little maneuver. "I know what you're doing there," he says as he slips his hands past my hips to grab me and pull me flush to his body, letting me feel just how unexhausted he is after our previous night's activities.

He moves his head to kiss on my earlobe and whispers, "I'm so glad Lily sleeps a lot longer in the nights now. Or I wouldn't have been able to do ..."

I am about to respond to his ministrations in kind when the doorbell rings. He groans, muffling the sound against my shoulder, making me giggle. "Looks like we have our first round of guests already," I say delightedly even though a tiny part of me wishes we could spend a few more minutes in getting lost in each other.

With a happy smile, I push him to go and greet his sister; after all we have all the time in the world for each other.

* * *

Christmas dinner turns into a ruckus affair once Edward's old comrade Jacob arrives with his fiancée, Leah. Jacob, or Jake, as he insists we call him, went back for his second tour after Edward got stationed to the base here. Unfortunately, Jake had to be sent home after losing his leg in the line of duty.

Although Edward never tells me about the extent of danger he was in while on tour, deep down, I know how much he risked by going there to make sure the rest of the world slept in peace. Having lost my father to his job, everyday I appreciate having my husband come home to me.

As I am pulling out the fruitcake I made for dessert, Lily wobbles into the kitchen. She reaches for the plate of cookies I have hidden from her father's eyes for a late night snack and offers me a gummy smile.

"That's not for you, little lady," I admonish booping her on the nose to make her giggle. "That's for your daddy."

"Dadda," she repeats happily.

I nod. "Yes, wanna give that to Dadda now?"

She offers me another gummy smile and after picking up a cookie, ambles off in the general direction of the dining table.

Unfortunately, her little arm must get tired from carrying the cookie and instead of walking all the way to the head of the table where Edward is seated, she hands it to the person closest to the kitchen who happens to be Jacob Black.

"What's this, Ms. Lily?" Jacob says to her, happily accepting the treat. "A gingerbread cookie?"

"What?" Edward looks shell-shocked as he stares open-mouthed at the cookie in Jacob's hand.

Jacob grins at him, showing his teeth as he sits back in utter contentment. "Look at that, Sarge, your baby girl is giving me gingerbread."

Edward huffs. "Pipe down, Black. So she's a kind hostess. Helping her dad feed the guests."

Although Jacob smirks at him, he doesn't say anything else. I think I hear him mutter under his breath something that sound like, "Thought you didn't believe me, Sarge?" just as he's walking out the door, but I cannot be sure.

Once Rose and Emmett leave the house with a constantly prattling Evie, Edward and I pretty much collapse on the couch. He pats his tummy and grins at me. "That was quite a feast, Mrs. Cullen. Thank you."

I laugh. "I had to look up most of the recipes on the internet so it could've easily been a disaster. You got lucky."

He picks my hand up in his and brings it to his lips. "I'm the luckiest man in the planet, baby. Do you know it's the first real Christmas I've had since my parents passed away? With my own family?"

I place my hand on his cheek and smile up at him. "It was the same for me, Edward. After my dad ... " I shake my head. "Nothing was the same again."

He's silent for a moment before he lifts his eyes to mine. "Bella? Do you want to go to Florida?"

My eyebrows pull together in confusion. "Are you being transferred?"

Shaking his head, he says, "No, no, I just … I just think you should have a chat with your mother. She deserves to know how much she hurt you growing up. I want you to have the chance to let her know that despite everything she put you through, you've grown into his amazing person."

A wistful smile comes to my face as I squeeze his hand. "I get where you're coming from, Edward, but you know what? I don't want to. I have made my peace with whatever happened in my past. Yes, she was a horrible mother, and yes, she deserves to be ashamed of her deeds, but I don't want her to even breathe the same air as my Lily."

He opens his mouth to speak, but I soldier on. "Yes, she used to be a part of my family, but not anymore, Edward. You and Lily are my family now. You are everything I need."

His arms come to wrap me in a hug as he presses a kiss to my temple. "The feeling is mutual, baby."

Needing to dispel the despondent mood around us, I ask, "What happened with the gingerbread cookie, by the way?"

His face darkens and his lips pull together in an adorable little pout as he tells me about some myth how gingerbread cookies can make someone fall in love with them. "And my daughter isn't allowed to give cookies to anyone but her Dadda until she's 40!" he finishes with a grumble.

I can't help but giggle. "Who told you that ridiculous story anyway?"

"Black," he grouches. "He brought a package of cookies for Leah and you can see where that landed him!"

Laughing at the absurdity of the situation, I tell him, "Just so you know, Leah has always had a thing for Jacob. She told me so when I first met her. She was just stringing him along to make him do crazy love-sick stuff like that." As I say that, my mind goes back to the day Edward had come back home from his tour.

"Wait a minute!" I grab his hand and narrow my eyes at him. "You brought me gingerbread cookies when you got home."

"I did?"

When I don't respond to his horrible attempt at denial, he smiles sheepishly, the tips of his ears turning red. "I uh ..."

"Yes?" I prompt him.

"You never told me you loved me the whole time I was away and I just stupidly thought that it couldn't hurt to try this."

When he finishes, his eyes are downcast and the blush starts to spread to his cheeks, and my heart just swells with the love I feel for this man.

"They worked too, you know ..." he starts to say defiantly when I thread my fingers through the hair at the back of his head and pull his lips to mine.

I kiss him hard, pouring out every ounce of love my fragile heart can hold, and then I kiss him slow, letting him know that I cherish his love for me.

As I start to pull back from him, he holds my face in his hands and drops butterfly kisses all over my face. Then he grins at me. "See? Gingerbread magic, baby!"

Laughing at the excited gleam in his eyes, I take his hand and pull him to the kitchen with me, leading him straight to where the tray filled with the fabled Gingerbread cookies rests. "I wonder what would this many cookies bring me then?"

Chuckling, he picks me up in his arms and kisses me softly. "A lifetime worth of Gingerbread love," he responds and then carries to off to our room where he proceeds to express his love for me again and again.

* * *

 **The End**

* * *

 **A/N: And that's a wrap, everyone.**

 **Thanks for taking this journey with me. Please share your thoughts with me and leave a review?**

 **A quick note about a future venture: I am currently reworking one of my very first fics, Change My Mind. It was flagged as having MA content so I had to take it down from FFn (the MA version is still available of STARS, Fictionpad and Wattpad … for now). I decided to completely rework the story and turn it into a drabble/flash fic. Hopefully, the reworked version will start posting on New Year's Day. Meanwhile, feel free to read the original version on other outlets. Also, my original fiction stories are posted on Wattpad so if you are looking for something to read, you can check those out (I'm TwiAddictAnne everywhere). To those of you looking for book recs to read in this holiday season, you can check out my book reviews on my wordpress blog ScribblerAlliance.**

 **That's all for now.**

 **See you soon with a new story.**

 **Till then, stay healthy and happy.**

 **Lots of love,**

 **Ann**


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